Dhaka: The High Court on Tuesday summoned the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj to appear before it on February 22 to explain the continuation of the earth filling work of ‘Sonargaon Economic Zone’ defying a court order.

An HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das passed the order following a petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).

Barrister Fida M Kamal stood fro the petitioner while Advocate Ahsanul Karim represented Unique Properties Development Limited.

Unique Properties, a Unique Group sister concern, is carrying out the earth filling on 2,350 bighas of land in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj for implementing ‘Sonargaon Resort City Project’.

Bela filed a writ petition in 2014 challenging the project.

On March 2, 2014, the High Court asked the project authorities to refrain from the earth filling activities and asked take necessary steps so that the cropland, wetland and low land of Charbhabanathpur and Bhatibandha areas near the Meghna River under the project return to their original shape.

On October 25 last year, the High Court passed an order for continuing activities of the project following a petition filed by Unique Hotel and Resort Limited.

Later, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court passed a stay order on the High Court order following an appeal filed by Bela.

A contempt of court case was filed against the company for conducting the earth filling activities changing the project name to ‘Sonargaon Economic Zone’.

On February 6 last, Bela filed a petition seeking explanation from the respondents made in a rule issued by the HC earlier.

The respondents include Housing and Public Workers, Land, Environment and Forests, and Home secretaries, director general and a director of Department of Environment, Narayanganj deputy commissioner, Narayangganj UNO concerned, assistant commissioner (land), Managing Director of Unique Properties Nur Ali.